This Finnish based band was formed in 1997. Their name came from a murder which occurred in 1960 at Lake Bodom. 3 out of 4 teens were stabbed to death but the murder mystery is still unresolved. On 'Something Wild' (1997), the band started off playing melodic death metal. However, 'Hatebreeder' (1999) was the first album that I've ever heard by them. It was wholly unique in my estimation and I've been a fan ever since. Their newer style of metal seems like a combination of melodic death and thrash metal combined. At least that's my opinion in regards to 'Blooddrunk' wholeheartedly.

There seems to be a lot of mixed opinions in regards to this new release. I disliked it at the start and now I'm pretty glued to it. It isn't a poor effort by the band to be honest. The music has unique melodic/thrash style riffs and the keyboards augment the guitars keeping that style that they are so well noted for having. 'Blooddrunk' to me is better than their previous release 'Are You Dead Yet?' (2005) because the riffs are catchier making COB sound more like their older material. That really seems like the jist of it.

I wouldn't consider the music to be in the genre of power metal at all. Again melodic death/thrash metal is more accurate. The crunch tone guitars and Alexi's screaming vocals leaves me to conclude that they're trying to sound a little different with their riffs/genres. The keys augment the guitar's "heavier" tone. I think all of the tracks are noteworthy. There really aren't any that I dislike. 'Blooddrunk' seems to capture me as being more of a mature release by the band. It doesn't fail in rating as an album in COB's discography.

Crunchier tone guitar is what they use here as opposed past releases. The production is solid with each instrument mixed quite well. The vocals are blended in good in addition to the music. However, the lead guitars aren't quite as "chilling" to hear. It seems like they've kind of digressed in that department. I consider the leads on 'Hate Crew Deathroll' (2003) to be catchier. Nevertheless, the sound still features the COB that I've always considered to be. This release is very noteworthy.

It's rumored that Alexi was fed up with people criticizing his lyrics so they aren't featured on the insert booklet. His vocals on this album are pretty much the same as on past releases. The back-up vocals by the band are also featured to give it more of a wholehearted effort augmenting Alexi's outputs.

Despite all of the negative criticism 'Blooddrunk' received, I don't really think it's warranted. The reason is because I don't consider the band to have lost their edge that they held musically in past releases. I definitely consider 'Blooddrunk' to be a solid COB release. Just because they're trying to wedge in a "thrashier" sound to the music doesn't mean that they've just went to hell. As far as if they deserve to be written off as now piss poor musicians, I don't feel that way at all towards this new release.

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Death8699
11/29/2009 15:41